The path of... Jude Smith

Artistic apex Jude reminisces on his growth as a games concept artist

- 

Where did you grow up and how has this influenced your art?

I was raised on a small peninsula in Virginia called the Eastern Shore, where there's a small community of painters who mainly focus on wildlife and the landscapes by the water. During my childhood, I frequently took painting lessons from local artists and learned to work with various mediums, such as oils, acrylics, watercolour, and pastels. I believe this had a significant impact on how I approach art today. People often mention that my digital art reminds them of traditional paintings.

What, outside of art, has most influenced you through the years?

Music has always influenced my taste and style. I grew up playing in a band with friends, and that creative outlet taught me a lot about self-expression and storytelling. I no longer play music, but I still listen to a lot of albums, and sometimes it sparks ideas, especially when I connect with it on an emotional level. It helps me imagine stories that I want to tell.

Is there a painting that you saw in your formative years that changed everything? What was it?

I can't recall a specific painting, but I vividly remember seeing Ryan Church's concepts in the Art of Star Wars books for Episodes II and III, which amazed me as a kid. I'd been into drawing and painting since I was young, but I never realised that art was actually used to create movies and games. That realisation made me decide from then on I wanted to become a concept artist. My parents thankfully even bought me a copy of Photoshop and a Wacom tablet for me to practice with.